Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-10
4. L.. to VI. ID.

To the Editor Of the DlsDdtch:
Please allow me few lines only by
WY of reioinder to NJ. d., for pre-
sumo that after two attempts his reply
to my article is finished. desire in the
outset to disclaim any Intentional dis
courtesy in my former article and to
express my regret that NJ. ID. should
have SO regarded it. And / desire
at tie same time TO acknow-
ledge the courtesy of my opponent;
indeed, his manners are SO much
superior to his argument as to suggest
that his brain has been developed
by culture and exercise through
the mental and moral faculties, rather
than by the steiner methods of logic.
rs to Iidicule, il it is not argument, as
u. ID. insists, it is nevertheless the
severest test OF argument; and, like
disease, it finds more than half its
strength in the weakness of the subject
It attacks. Only the really ridiculous
Will suffer much from ridiculc.
Eut / cannot permit Nj. ID. to shift
lis ground and change the issue be-
tween us. In his last article he has
done what his intellectual prize
fighter" would have done when
pressed into corner-he has
lodged. He started out to tell us,
in that &C cdthcdrd manner which.
all dealers in an occult science are apt
TO assume when there is little chance
that anybody will contradict, what was
necessary TO n perfect physical con-
diion; and after citing the race-horse
and tie prize-fghter as illustrations,
md detailing some Of the requisites OF
perfect physical condition, he adds:
"And last, and most important Of all,
brain developed by culture and
exercise through the mental and moral
iaculties," &c. 1t was this last propo-
sition which specially challenged, and
which NJ. ID. declines to maintain, as
I understand his rather rambling
reply. Now, whenever he will under
take TO sustain this remarkable posi-
ton I am ready TO contend for the
negative. And while under the rules
of debate which prevail everywhere
Except possibly in the faculty OF medi-
cine) / am not called upon to follow
him when he leaves this position to re-
gale us with platitudes about the reta-
ron between mind and body, still l
may venture to remark upon few OF
the things in the last instalment OF his
reply.
NJ. ID. says that mental training has
o powerful influence upon the bodily
functions. / suppose this viii scarcely
be denied anywhere on the civilized
globe, and yet it is no argument to
prove that mental trimming is the most
important requisite TO perfect 1ohyst-
cal condition. As for the slender en-
gineering youths who, he alleges, can
bear more fatigue than their uneducated
assistants, NJ. ID. ought to understand
theoldadage that I" one swallow doesnot
make sumner"-that is, he ought to
know thstno safe argument can be based
upon such O statement, which might
be true in one instance or with one or
two persons, and yet the general rule
be draws nom those instances be wholly
erroneous. II is called the worst error
IN logic to reason from particular in
stance to general rule. And the same
may be said about the clerks and tho
plowboyR There are certainly no re-
halle statistics upon the subject, and
unul We have something moro than the
mere ass<rliop the WorId VII scarcely
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